They were always there when you needed something. -Betty, Nana to 15

I loved my grandma. I spent more time at her house than my own. We lived across the street. She was a great influence on me. I am very close with my grandchildren, especially the youngest at 28 months. I sit for her every day. I have more toys, all different ones than at her house, so it is a treat for her. Being a grandma is wonderful. I also have two adult grandchildren that I watched every day when they were toddlers and we still maintain a close relationship. -Stephany, Grandma to three

My maternal grandmother, Gramma, was to me everything a grandmother should be. She always wore a dress with a bib apron over it when she was cooking; she had short white hair, glasses, dentures, loved to rock in her chair, and had the most beautiful hands. Her nails always had polish, and a treat for me was to remove the polish and put on a new color for her. Although her hands were worn and wrinkled, they were so tender. Her gentle touch was so full of love and compassion. When she kissed you, both hands would cradle your face between them and hold you for just an extra second. I think she transferred some of her soul to you when those hands would hold you. To see her caress a new baby's face could bring tears to my eyes. I lived with Gramma after I finished high school through my college years, 'til I got married. As we washed and dried the dishes together, Gramma would always recite poems she had learned from when she was in school or sing songs. Her memory amazed me and always the songs were melancholy and would make me cry (being Irish, I think the crying, singing and poetry came naturally to both of us). Many of the songs were from World War I and although she never thought she could sing, I would give a million dollars to be able to have her rock my grandchildren and hear her sing once more. She always had a saying for everything and I often find myself repeating those same words to my own grandchildren. She would often say to me, "When you write about me one day, as I know you will, put all these things down and you can title it 'Gramma, As I Knew and Loved Her.'" No words from me could ever even come close to saying what an important part she played in my life. As I rock my grandbabies, I can't help but think of her and sometimes I feel as though she is here with me. And I can feel the faint touch of a pair of gentle, loving hands against my face. I hope she approves of my poor attempts to recreate her, in order to try and give my grandchildren the same lifetime of wonderful memories as I had with her. -Jan, Gammy & Lolly to five

I always remember that my grandma on one side and my grandpa on the other were just wonderful and lovable. Everything they did, they did with me. They also lived with all kinds of neat things around them -- old tools, buttons, plants, dark sheds, dark garages, big trees -- and everything was fair game for me with no restrictions except to watch out for myself. Whenever I get a chance to be with my grandkids I try for it to be as it was for me: a wonderous wonderland and love-smothered place. That is how I always remember them. -Deb, Grandma Frog to two

I remember my Grams buying me a Pez dispenser in the beginning of the summer, when I would go send some of the summer with her. At the time, the Pez cost 25 cents and I thought that was a huge deal. Then she would get me the candy to go in it when we went to the grocery store. She lived in New York and it was a big deal for us to walk down Jamaica Avenue and go to the 5 & 10 or the drug store to get the TV Guide. I keep in my mind that spending time with her is what's important and something that we will both treasure as she gets older. Hopefully the time we spend together is what my granddaughter will remember. -Nancy, Mom-Mom to one

My grandmother and grandfather were the best. My mom was a single mom, and we lived 10 minutes from my grandparents. They helped my mom a lot, so I was always there with them. I went everywhere with my grandpa, known to me as Pappaw, whether he was fixing things in the house, grocery shopping, taking me to school. My Mammaw was my best friend. I could tell her anything, and I knew even if she didn't like it, she still loved me. So, though we live an hour from our grandchildren, Thomas and Samantha, we go once a week to babysit, and I always try to make sure we do fun things togther, as well as teaching them little things. We just want our grandchildren to know that we love them no matter what or where they go, just as our grandparents did. We love being grandparents to Thomas, 2, and Samantha, 2 weeks! -Jill, MiMi to two